Atwood Hammond High School - Post Yearbook (Atwood, IL)

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craft he chanced to look on the other side of a clump of roses and vines and saw the prettiest of little streams. “I guess that kid wasn’t so foolish after all. This ought to keep a fellow from developirg a good case of the blues. I suppose I may as well use it, if no one makes a kick.” Vincent lifted the boat down and dropped it into the water. With paddle in hand, he stepped into the boat and pushed it off down stream. The clear water of the little stream, in which small willows cast theirquivery green and brown shadows, shallowed abruptly where a tiny bar of sand thrust the ripples aside. With a quick plunge of the paddle, Vincent shot the canoe past these threatening points, and floated serenely on. Far over in the west were two farm houses, and from a farther distance, the faint whir r r of a mowing maching floated across the meadow. Vincent winked soberly as he noticed a sign on the little wil low, ‘‘No Trespassing, Private Property.” The tiny tree bearing the inscription, bobbed up and down as if daring him to come on. It was easy to float down stream, and besides, what right did anyone have to keep him from going anywhere he wished? A faint smile appeared on his face as he turned the nose of the little craft back towards the hotel. No one could suspect that Vincent Polgrave would commit that dire crime of trespassing, for his brown hair and eyes, and his whole manner, spoke of nothing, but honesty. The boat was drifting down-stream. How could anyone blame him for going ovet the dividing line when he was not handling the boat? How surprised he seemed when he found himself upon the forbidden water and behind the sign, that seemed to be saying, ‘‘All right, Smarty, but you’ll have to pay for it.” The banks of the stream suddenly fell away on all sides and the canoe glided slowly and safely into a miniature lake. Only occasionally did an overhanging branch cast its troubled shadow upon the water, for the trees were all far back, and allowed a soft carpet of grass to grow undisturbed to the edge of the lake White and yellow lillies and purple flags dotted the edge of the stream, while farther down a double-arch stone foot bridge crossed over. ‘‘It's no wonder the people put up signs to keep the public out,” he said, half aloud, “1 be lieve if 1 had such a place as this, I'd be just as selfish as they.” Yes, all this was certainly very pretty, but Vincent had no eyes for it. Another sun had risen. He was gazing, or rather staring, in silent surprise and admiration at the figure on the grassy bank. How could he be to blame? For who would imagine that a Grecian goddess had escaped from Olympus and come down to him? Immediately his mind flew back to his old book of mythology, that he might find a name for her. Was it Diana, Clytie, Venus or Penelope? No, it was none of these. Thisicos-tume was not fitted to any of those.

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opium; for a people who use the drug benumb their senses and are made incapable of carrying on business affairs. The opium curse is being put down since the government has taken it into hand. It prescribes the number of acres a man may have in poppy cultivation and the number decreases each year. After May 1907, it decreed that no new stores for the sale of opium could be opened, and that smoking dens should be closed. Cures are being prepared tor opium smokers and action taken to abolish its use. The wonderful changes in the Chinese ideas of government are apparent in this short time —what may we not expect of this vast country in a few more years! The next important evidence of modernization in China is her eagerness for education on the lines of western civilization. For centuries the Chinese have been noted for their education and literature. Lower grades of schools were provided for all classes, and there were also higher academies and univer- sities. In 1903, the Dowager— Empress issued an order that their educational system be revised. Her plan was accepted; universities built in modern style were established in the larger cities; colleges in the provinces; high schools in the districts; and common schools in the villages. Literature, philosophy, and even the sciences and histories of foreign nations are to be taught in these schools. It is indeed hard for Chinese to understand this new system of education, after they have become accustomed to the old way, but they seem to be sincere in their desire for new learning. Upon this fact their hope is based and especially for the younger generation which will have greater advantages by not being taught under the old system. By the changes China has made in her government and educational system we find that she has awakened from her sound sleep of ages, and is trying to fit herself for a place among the leading powers of the West. A DOWN-STREAM ADVENTURE By Leslie Lewis Vincent. Polgrave was sitting on the porch of the country inn, smoking his pipe. He had been touring in this vicinity and his car broke down, and now the chauffeur was trying to fix it up. Everything here was so dull that Vincent strolled into the orchard, that lay just behind the hotel. In the farthest corner, a canoe rested on two poles that were laid from a couple of apple trees. “Funny place for a boat, that,” he thought. “i Iust be some fool kid that's trying to learn the science of boating without any water. From the way my throat feels, I don’t think that there is any in a hundred miles of here.” As he was examining the little

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His eyes ranged from her sandaled feet to her brown hair with its golden crown. This apparition wore a single garment of white, that reached from the feet to the shoulders, and was fastened on either side by a metal clasp. She leaned lazily back on her long white arms and gazed at him in silence. As he made a movement toward her, she spoke. “Do you not fear the resentment of the Gods? It is not wise that mortals look upon us.” “Pardon me, kind Goddess; the Gods with whom I am in ill favor, have pronounced my fate. It is they who have propelled my craft so far.” Vincent ielt like patting himself on the back for finding so suitable an answer. “Well, perhaps you’re right,” she answered, “would you mind telling me what you call your unfortunate craft?” “Prom this time on, ‘Good Luck,' perhaps,” he continued, “I may be favored by your name?” “I am Iris,” she answered, “a water nymph and goddess of the rain-bow. Pray, will you tell me what you are called?” “IT am Mercury,’’he answered gravely, with a little hesitation, “clad in this earthly guise, that I might find Cupid. He had me mixed up in a love scrape with Venus. She turned her love to old Jnpiter, and now I am seek ing little Cupid, that I may thanir him for shifting the burden upon broader shoulders.” “I love unrequited,” she said, sadly, “Apollo has my heart. Day by day 1 see him crossing the heavens in his fiery chariot, and he sees me not. I cannot bear such strife much longer. It is too much.” She rose suddenly and turned her face toward the sun. Slowly she raised her white arms in tragic appeal. “Apollo! Apollo! she cried, “Hear, Oh, hear me! Cannot you hear, Apollo? iris calls for you.” Such a passion of longing spoke in her voice that Vincent shuddered in spite of himself. Unconsciously his gaze followed hers to the blazing orb. The light dazzeled his eyes, and bliuded him fora second. When the sun-spots had cleared awav, and he looked toward the trees again, he saw nothing. The bank was empty, bnt by a bush in the distance a white garment fluttered and was lost to sight. In his dismay he called “Iris,” and again, ‘Iris.” but no response came, except from a robin in a nearby tree, who seemed to moan, She’s gone! She’s gone! She’s gone!” SPECTROSCOPY Every child has amused himself in “making the colors of the rainbow”on the wall with the glass pendants from the old-fashioned hanging lamp. He little thought that that many-colored band could give any BY ted MERRITT amount of information regarding the presence of substances on the sun, ninety million miles away. Yet, since it was first explained by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666, the phenomenon has been carefully studied unti